Teachers should be well-informed, teach challenging lessons and maintain good behaviour. It’s hard to blame them for struggling to do so if they have to overcome false ideas, weak training and limited support. Swedish teachers labour under all three burdens.

False ideas

Per Kornhall cites research which notes the School Inspectorate criticised high-performing schools in the Nineties for being ‘too knowledge-focused’ (Skolvärlden (Swedish)). What has been promoted instead? Sverigesradio devoted an episode of ‘Psykobabblarna’ to ‘Kommunikoligi’.

Communes spend great sums on courses in which, for example, leaders do creeping exercises to become better…